


Early Patrol

by tatertotarmy



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny
Genre: Gen, Pelago Islands Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 02:03:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9050884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatertotarmy/pseuds/tatertotarmy
Summary: One of the most unlikely citizens of Fenith Island asks to accompany Mikoto on her patrol.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the Pelago Islands Secret Santa on Tumblr

“C…C-Can I…?”

Mikoto stopped short of beginning her usual rounds, hearing a faint voice call out from behind. She turned her head and looked down to see one of the children of the church looking up at her with an anxious face painted pink. Kelsey, in a rare sighting without Quinn. It was early enough that Mikoto thought that the two of them would still be in bed. Did Father Gerard know that he was here?

“Hm?” Mikoto asked in her deep voice, turning entirely towards him, her ponytail whipping around and brushing the back of her neck, “What is it?”

“I-I…” Kelsey paused, looking down to clench on the bottom of his shirt as if it were a security blanket, “C-Can I…um…watch you?” The second the question was out of his mouth, his face turned an even brighter shade of red. He lowered his head even more, as if to pretend he never even asked.

“Watch…?” Mikoto asked, tilting her head ever so slightly as she thought it over, “What do you mean? My patrol?”

Kelsey was silent, only replying with a small nod of his head.

“My patrol has the potential of getting rather dangerous,” Mikoto warned, “Are you sure, Kelsey?”

The young boy shook a little, but still nodded again. While Mikoto’s rounds were not always dangerous, there was always the potential. One months of no incidents could be followed by a monster portal opening on the island. A week of peace could be followed by whatever monsters Father Gerard left in his past. One day could be followed with Aden and Sonja returning to the island with a giant sea creature on their tails. And ever since the incident with the Legendary Golem…she was always afraid that something bigger would come to their fair island.

But today? Perhaps it would be fine. Aden and Sonja were working on the island today, so any incidents could easily be backed up by those two. Though, honestly, Mikoto had no idea why Kelsey would want to patrol with her. He always seemed so quiet, gentle. The opposite of her, really.

“Alright,” Mikoto confirmed with a hard nod, adjusting the katana at her hip, “I’ll need to ask you to keep an eye out, alright? If there’s any danger, please run to Father Gerard as fast as you can.”

Kelsey only gave another nod as confirmation, though the tremble of his shoulders didn’t go away.

Why was he doing this if he looked so afraid?

Mikoto began her rounds with Kelsey behind her, checking the usual areas and going to every spot in town that was viable to get a monster portal. The dragon shrine, the little nook near the inn, several spots on the beach, and the beach cave. Kelsey followed silently, keeping a steady distance behind Mikoto. Whenever there was even the slightest noise – drips of water on the cave floor, the rustle of leaves from a bird in a nearby tree – he would immediately stop and tense up. It reminded Mikoto of a fearful rabbit, afraid of anything that posed even the slightest amount of danger.

However, when they exited the cave to the pier, Mikoto saw trouble.

Elena’s latest creation was running amok.

A small golem was scooting around the pier area, with its guns out at the ready to fire at whatever unsuspecting target it found. Thankfully, no citizens were down at the pier level, save for her and Kelsey. In the corner of her eye, she could see Jocelyn, Joe, and James looking down over a fence from the church level with some uneasiness.

“Damn it!” Mikoto heard Elena’s aggravated voice from the church level, “Is it down there? I swear to the Elder Dragons if it isn’t down there…”

“Elena, don’t go down there,” James interjected, turning away from the scene to look behind him.

“I don’t have time to deal with you right now!” Mikoto heard Elena yell, “Is it down there or not?”

Before Mikoto could hear the rest of the conversation, the golem spotted the two of them near the entrance of the cave. Its guns immediately pointed towards them.

“Get down!” Mikoto yelled, pushing Kelsey back behind some rocks at the entrance before unsheathing her katana. It opened fire, and Mikoto swiftly dodged some and blocked others with her katana. When there was an opening, Mikoto ran towards the golem and gave it a swift strike, knocking it out of commission. The golem collapsed, practically breaking back down into pieces.

“Are you serious?!”

Mikoto looked up at Elena, who now joined the group leaning over the fence.

“It took me forever to get to that point!”

“And obviously, it didn’t work,” Joe cracked a smile.

“Shut up! Tell me what you’re doing with your life before you even get started!”

“That’s a low blow,” Joe faked a frown before walking away from the fence.

“Elena…you were causing trouble…” James half-heartedly scolded with a small chuckle.

“It was for science, James. You wouldn’t understand.”

Mikoto sighed, tuning out a year’s worth of bickering that would only go listened by Jocelyn, who watched the two siblings with the patience of a saint. That was certainly something. Mikoto sheathed her katana and walked back towards the cave entrance, where Kelsey was on the ground, looking up at her with a dumb-struck look on his face.

“Are you alright, Kelsey?” Mikoto held out a hand to help him up.

Kelsey didn’t reach, instead just looking up at her with wide eyes. He opened his mouth a little, struggling to find words to say. Mikoto was beginning to think that she should get Father Gerard. Maybe it was a little too much excitement for Kelsey.

Just as Mikoto parted her lips to speak again, Kelsey held his hands to his chest and looked up at her with a red face, “T…Teach me how to fight like that!”

One silent moment passed between them.

“I-I mean…” Kelsey immediately retracted the small amount of courage he had, “I-I…w-want to be strong and cool…like you. I-It’s okay…I-I’ll be a bother…”

Mikoto had lived many years as a man on Fenith Island. And this was possibly the cutest thing she had ever witnessed. Kelsey thought she was cool. That was adorable. But she tried to play it cool, keeping her stoic face on as she retracted her hand.

Well…if he was up for it…

“I train at sunrise in front of the inn,” Mikoto spoke, trying to play off the fact that this kid thought she was cool, “If you get Father Gerard’s approval…and if he gives you something to train with, I will allow you to train with me.”

“W-What? R-Really?” Kelsey got up, looking up at her with practical stars in his eyes, “Y…You mean it?”

“A warrior never goes back on his word.”

“I-I’ll…I-I’ll ask Father Gerard right now…” Kelsey began hurrying towards the elevator leading to the church area, thought he stopped to turn around and wave at Mikoto, “T..Thank you, Mikoto!”

She only watched as he went up the elevator with excitement practically radiating from the shy boy.

Perhaps having a someone to train will be a good idea.


End file.
